"A Week in Noumea" a New Caledonia Travel Page by tryhard

Sun, Sand and Sea is not usually our thing, but with frequent flyer points low and cash resources even lower, a week in New Cal. looked like a good option. Only 2 1/2 hours from Sydney meant a comfortable flight and we arrived in time to have an afternoon swim. The weather in October is cooler, but still manages to hover around 24 degrees to 29, and virtually no rain to speak of. Our digs at Kuenda Beach Resort were pretty appealling even if the price wasn't but I didn't realise that most of the good beach was actually open to the public and very popular!
Tryhard is not up to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road so we jumped on the local public bus which conveniently stopped right outside the resort every ten minutes (very clean and efficient too!) and cruised us the 10 minutes into town. Noumea is a very pretty city, the city centre gardens are a haven for those of us who hail from more temperate regions and dream of tropical splendour. It is an eclectic mix of polynesian colour and custom and french cosmopolitan chic.
If you're low on $$$$, don't stress, you won't starve. Gigantic baguettes await the consumer at cafes and eateries dotted throughout the city. Cheap vietnamese goodies are selling fast at the food vans around the town - just keep an eye out for the busiest one/s and eat there. Magnificent fresh fruit and veg and seafood in abundance a short walk from the centre down at the harbourside market. The curio stalls also abound for anyone wanting a keepsake.
Ansa Vata is tourist strip but as far as tourist strips go I thought it was great! A long boulevard of palm fringed beach is a winner without the wall to wall highrise hotels. There are tourist kiosks along the beachfront full of info for those with a few dollars and time on their hands. You can also pay them to let you look like an idiot on one of their windsurfers and such - tryhard tries hard but windsurfing is not happening for me. Maybe you're a beach baby and can actually drive one of those things. For a more sedate outing and one for the kids, try the Petit Train. It takes off from near the Info Office in the City Centre Park - get a brochure to check times etc. They can whiz you (albeit slowly) around the city, to the Botanic Park and the Aquarium. Speaking of the Aquarium, it's not bad for a half hour. The Tjibou Cultural Centre which can be reached by bus (get a bus route brochure from aforementioned tourist info thing), is as architecturally amazing as all the tourist brochure blurbs purport. Get your camera out! The exhibitions inside where a bit, well, pedestrian. Okay some were interesting but for a much better look at that stuff head to the Museum Of New Caledonia in the City. Not far from the centre, near McDonalds, check a city map.
They tell me the day trip to Amadee Island is a must which of course we didn't do - tryhards other half was quite ill - no island outing:(
If you happen to luck out and become very ill, ask your hotel to get an english speaking doctor to come to your hotel room. There is an agency which does this. If you get a prescription make sure the doctor leaves notes and names of medication in English and write these on the bottle/packets in the chemist with their help. (Medicine will all be labeled in French) Anyway, I digress, look there is heaps to do in Noumea and we only just scratched the surface which is why we are going back this year to get out of the city and check out the countryside. Before I go - a couple of pointers.
DO learn some basic french, even just a few words will help a lot.
DO expect to see quite a lot of topless bathing
DONT expect all french people to be rude and arrogant, the vast majority aren't (they're just self-assured :)
DO use public buses - great cheap sightseeing